Surrender
by Amatista
Summary: The fifth and final part of the Severed Saga.  Cassie's decision leads her back to the beach, where she finds the one she is looking for...


_**A/N: Here it is, readers. The fifth and final part of my saga. I hope it's met with approval, and I thank you all for reading and reviewing my "What if?" scenario. Let me know what you think of this last part, too, and thank you again for all your support. Happy reading!**_

**OOOOOOOOOO**

Cassie smiled. He was exactly where she had expected to find him, where she sensed his presence. Sure enough, her intuition proved right yet again. Occupying the beach she had visited earlier in the day was Nick, sitting upon a large rock. He stared out to sea, looking as handsome as ever in the waning daylight, just watching the waves clamor onto shore. He seemed to be listening to the sounds of water. Occasionally, he took a long drag on his cigarette, releasing the smoke in slow clouds from his lips.

He was unaware of Cassie's presence and the fact that she was enjoying observing him in this moment. It was not like Nick to come down the beach, not unless it had to do with one of the coven's rituals. But Cassie understood. The sea could be calming to even the most tumultuous of hearts. With all the hard times in his life—family conflicts, frequent fights, empty-headed threats of outsiders—he needed a form of comfort. The sea offered that to him. Of course, Nick would never admit that aloud to anyone, but he was taking necessary steps on his own. There had been times when she'd seen him down there from atop the bluff, doing this exact same thing. He thought no one else ever saw him, but she had.

Then another thought struck her: he was keeping himself close to Water, to her primary element. It was the one she loved the most. If he could not have Cassie to call his own, then at least he could be near an entity that reminded him of her. That caused her heart to pound.

Feeling brave at last, she walked across the sand in bare feet, her shoes in hand. "Is this a private party?"

With a slight start, Nick snapped his head around. As soon as he saw her, his expression became something that only Cassie could decipher. The cool exterior was there, encasing him in his usual cast of ice. But his eyes showed the most surprise she had ever seen in them. It was if he was seeing the most beautiful specter suddenly standing before him, and he could only stare for an endless minute.

It came to an end as he finally blinked. "Hey," he said simply.

She smiled at him, and she noticed his jaw slightly clench. "Hey. I can go if you'd rather be alone."

"No," he responded quickly. After a brief pause, he indicated the empty beach around them. "Not a whole lot to interrupt."

"Good point." She walked closer, glancing at the cigarette in his hand. She raised her eyebrows in a well-practiced manner.

He followed her gaze. "Oh. Still a hard habit to break," he said, flicking the glowing stick away.

"So you've said. But it's not something you do nearly as much anymore."

He half shrugged. "Don't need to as much, I guess."

"And you don't do it at all around Sarah."

He looked at her very steadily when she said her daughter's name. "She shouldn't be exposed to it. It's not good for her." He shook his head. "Probably sounds pretty stupid, huh?"

"No," she said truthfully, "it doesn't."

He looked at her for a long time. For once, Cassie was not embarrassed about him staring. Actually, she felt herself being quite empowered by his admiration, and did not wish him to stop.

The quiet between them was not uncomfortable. Silence did not exist, since the waves continued their steady hissing rhythm onto shore. Cassie looked out to sea, appreciating the beauty and power that existed beneath its sapphire surface.

"I've always loved the water," she said, letting her shoes drop to the sand. "I know that's nothing new, but it really is special to me. Ever since Mom first brought me into the ocean, I wasn't afraid. Somehow, I knew the water was going to take care of me, just as long as I called on it for help. I didn't understand that as a kid, but part of me always knew I could depend on it. The feeling grew stronger as I got older, and I can't imagine ever living someplace that isn't near water." Taking in a breath of salty air, she released it in a satisfied sigh. "It's home to me." She looked over at Nick.

He had not taken his eyes away from her, not even when she had turned to look at the sea.

Tilting her head, she asked, "Can you hear it?"

He angled his head, brow furrowing. "What am I listening for?"

"It whispers," she smiled, "if you listen to it just right, you'll hear it speaking."

He was very interested in her statement. "What does it say?"

This time, her smile was coy. "It's not the same for everyone; you'll have to listen with your own heart in order to understand."

He was smiling faintly as he shook his head in wonder. "I could listen to you go on about this for hours and never get fed up, you know? You have an incredible way of looking at the subtle workings of Earth and everything belonging to it."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, I do."

She licked her lips. "Are you wondering why I came down here tonight?"

"Actually, yes. Not that I'm bothered by you being here, of course," he sounded very honest, and there was an underlying longing in those mahogany orbs.

"I know. I'm here because I need to ask you a question." And at last it rolled off her tongue. "Did you mean what you said back in April? About not dating anyone else because of your feelings for me?"

He froze. Unexpected questions had a tendency to do that to people. The quiet lingered again for a time, but Cassie could sense that Nick was listening to the hissing waves, trying to let them guide him in his answer.

Shoulders sagging, he gave in. "Yes. I don't retract anything I said."

She smiled, and she could see his subtle reaction in his eyes. There was Power in her smile. "Do you promise to never retract that statement?"

He stared, his breathing becoming a little rapid, evident only in the slight flair of his nostrils. It was obvious that he understood the message behind her inquiries.

She continued. "Do you promise to hold true to it? To say it to me over and over again when I need to hear it?"

He remained unmoving, uncertain even, studying her body language and using his will to determine whether he dared to believe what she was getting at. Then he slid off the rock he had been sitting on to take a few steps toward her. There were flashes in his dark eyes as he neared. In a way, she found it secretly thrilling. "If you're playing games with me…"

"No. No games, Nick. You know me better than that."

He was nodding carefully. To be honest, it looked like he was putting a great deal of restraint on himself, especially now that he was so close to her. The jaw was clenching and unclenching again beneath his cheeks. "I do promise you. I meant everything I said to you then, and I am still _yours_."

The proclamation made her spirit soar. "Nick."

"Cassie."

Her eyes fluttered shut briefly when he said her name. "What can you offer me?"

He breathed in deeply, released it without a sound. "If you let me, I'll protect you."

Then she looked him dead in the eye, stepped forward. "What if I want more than that?"

"I'll protect Sarah, too."

"That's never been an issue. You'd walk through fire for her if need be."

"Yes," he agreed. "She means too much to me, and I'll be damned if I let harm come to her."

Cassie's heart swelled. "You love my daughter so much." He nodded. "But what I want goes beyond my daughter. There's something I want from you regarding me."

It was the first time she could ever remember seeing the slight quiver in his Adam's apple. "Then you need only ask." There was an actual tremor in his voice.

She stepped even closer. "What if I want everything I see standing before me? And everything that resides in here?" She placed a hand over his heart.

In reply, Nick covered it with both his hands. Such a courteous gesture. Cassie remembered a comment he'd made about her once, about her belonging in medieval times. He was regarding her like a lady, like the princess he thought her to be.

He cast his eyes down, as if he was not worthy of looking at her in that manner.

"Nick?" She persisted. "What if I want all that?"

He swallowed. Hard. When he finally spoke, it was in a hushed voice. "Then I'm yours."

She cupped his cheek with her free hand, guiding his eyes to hers. "Nick, I've loved you as a friend for quite a while. Adam was—is my soul mate, and I will always love him. But just because Adam's gone doesn't mean I can never love again. That's what I've been denying myself for so long. You, Nick…you've been standing by me, and I haven't let myself confess what I feel. With you, I've always felt safe, even after we'd broken up. I think Adam would want me to be with someone who makes me happy."

He hesitated, almost as though he was unable to believe the words he was hearing. "And you think Conant would want you—"

She cut him off before he could finish. "I know what _I_ want, Nick, and I want to be with you. I love you."

He fell to both knees then, as if all strength in his legs had given out. The abruptness surprised her and she gasped. Nick had never gone weak in front of her like this, but his iron-willed restraint failed him with her words. Head bowed, he drew in a long breath and relaxed his shoulders as he exhaled. "Say that again. Please."

Oh, wow. Nick was _not_ one to plead in this manner. With great assurance, she repeated, "I love you, Nick."

He finally looked up at her with that handsome, stoic face with eyes full of hope. Cassie was in awe of his appearance. The iciness was gone; he was looking at her with a love that radiated throughout his entire form. She could also see the promises his gorgeous eyes silently made to her, too, and she could feel his thoughts filling her heart until she thought it would burst within her. It was an amazing feeling.

"Again," he whispered.

Releasing a small laugh, Cassie also whispered, "I love you."

"I didn't think it was possible," he was muttering to himself, "I didn't think it was ever going to be real…"

"It is real, Nick."

"I can't replace Conant, but I'd take care of you and Sarah."

Stroking his cheek, she said, "And I believe you when you say it. There is no one else I'd be more honored to be with than you."

Clutching both her hands in his, he then asked the question he thought would be buried beneath the ice forever. "Will you have me, Cassie?"

She smiled brightly, going down to her own knees. She wanted him to realize that he was her equal in her mind. "With all my heart."

He smiled…the brightest and purest smile she had ever seen. And in an instant, his lips were on hers. It did not catch her off-guard. She had been anticipating the feel of his glorious lips on hers again after all these years. His arms were solid around her as he pressed her to him, letting her feel the passion and love he had pent up for long. It made her pleasantly dizzy, and she could not get enough. The little lines of fire running up her veins made her smile against his mouth. Such a wonderfully familiar feeling! But there was even more to this kiss than she remembered. In the back of her mind, the silver cord was wrapping itself about them, pleased to be connecting Cassie to her destined love. She wondered: could he sense it, too?

When he finally broke the kiss, it took a moment for him to catch his breath. She recalled how bewildered he had looked when _she_ had first kissed him, and this was a stunning tribute that past impulse. She noticed he was looking around himself, as if he could feel a sensation running across his skin.

Cassie released a shuddering breath. Yes, he could sense it!

Nick looked at her again, a comprehending smile spreading across his face. "So it is real." She could only nod as tears welled in her eyes. Nick shook his head, loving the effect her eyes had on him. Resting his forehead against hers, they remained wrapped in one another's arms as they knelt on the beach. "I love you."

Her smile was unwavering. "I love you, too."

They remained that way, memorizing the feel of the embrace and how they could look forward to this over and over again in the years to come. All of it felt incredibly right.

Eventually, Cassie pulled back, and Nick noticed her looking off in the distance. "What is it?"

Seeming to be lost in thought, she admitted, "I just thought about Sarah."

She could feel him become slightly nervous at the shift in her mood. "Yeah?"

Suddenly, she grinned. "Do you know how excited she'll be to have a cool last name like Armstrong?"

He blinked. After a long pause, he burst out laughing, and Cassie joined him, reveling in the contagious happiness they emanated to each other.

Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her and held her close to him, letting his heart pound against hers. It was during this time that Nick Armstrong allowed himself to let go of everything that had encased him in his frigid shell, and he let himself celebrate the overdue notion of being in love with the person who had broken through it to capture his heart. After all, now he could proclaim it to the world.

Cassie could not believe how beautiful he looked in his elation. She knew he would always be the tough guy she had known for so long. The protective watcher and guardian, the man who never let anyone walk all over him or take advantage without a fight, and that his serious side would kick in most of the time. But for now, he was filled with peace. He was showing his lady what he would only reveal for her. And her alone.

**OOOOOOOOOO**

From atop the bluff, Sarah smiled as she watched her mother and Nick finally surrender to their hearts.

"Thanks, Dad," she seemed to say to no one.

Wind picked up and wove through her hair, making her sigh contentedly at its invisible caress.


End file.
